There are a number of reasons why a lender would postpone a foreclosure sale, but the most common is that the borrower and lender are trying to resolve the default and avoid the sale. This usually involves the payment of enough money to bring it current (or “current enough”). These efforts often fail, because time runs out, and the lender doesn’t want to incur the expense of cancelling and later re-publishing the sale notice.
In the past, Tennessee law has been unclear as to, first, whether a published sale can be postponed, and, second, whether the lender needs to re-run the Sale Notice publication for a postponement.
As to the first question, most lenders look at their mortgage instrument, to see whether there is express language allowing adjournment. Absent that, the lender will not postpone the sale.
As to the second, there has been no real consensus, other than a vague “it depends on how long the postpone is for.”
In this past session, the Tennessee Legislature provided an answer, in changes to Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 35-5-101, effective July 1, 2011, which allow for postponements for up to one year after the initial sale date and require certain notices to the borrower.
This is a law that should be good for both borrowers and lenders. It provides lenders with some assurance that they can slow the process down and negotiate with their borrowers, but without the risk of introducing a defect into their sale process. For borrowers facing potential foreclosure, it provides more time to get the issues resolved.
A rare case where everybody wins.
Creditors Rights 101 